Today we begin to prepare for the final stretch of our journey along the Camino Frances. Three days before arriving in Santiago de Compostela,contradictory emotions begin to mingle. On the one hand, the joy of reaching our destiny: the tomb of Santiago the Apostle. On the other, the sadness of leaving a path that has given us such special moments. Fortunately, we still have three days left.
Let’s go on the Camino Frances!
Today’s stage is a complicated stage. It is one of the longest stages in Galician territory and also one of the stages that has more places with historical cultural interest. A day when pilgrims should not be in a hurry if you wish to enjoy it. A day full of legends and places with healing powers.
Throughout the day we will pass through Melide, with numerous attractions and an exquisite Galician style octopus. dividing the stage into two overnight stays in this locality is an option that many pilgrims contemplate. We conclude today in Arzúa, where we will meet the pilgrims from the Camino Primitivo.
If you are thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago from Sarria tell us what your plans are for the Camino de Santiago and we will contact you to advise you on everything you need.
Itinerary stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Today’s terrain does not contain many difficulties. However, some climbs can be somewhat hard, depending on the physical condition of each of us. Throughout the whole day, we ascend a total of 350 metres in height.
Palas de Rei (Km. 0). Beginning of stage
Practical tips for this section: it is best to complete this section quickly to have more time for the following ones, as they are more attractive. Buen Camino!
We start the day crossing the road next to the Casa de Concello. We go down the Travesia del Peregrino to cross the road and down along Rúa do Apostolo. We cross the road again and continue straight along the Rúa Río Roxán, where the sculpture of some pilgrims dancing is located.
We advance 500 metres by the Avenida de Compostela, which coincides with the N-547 national road, and at the kilometre 35 point, we turn right to cross the River Roxán. The 64km stone pillar warns us that we have arrived in the Parish of San Sebastián de Carballal. We go up to the parish villages and then descend to cross the N-547 (km. 2.1).
The 63.5 pillar indicates a path surrounded by oaks and eucalyptus that goes to Lacua. Next, a row of stone slabs allows us to move forward without getting muddy in the water basin. The 62.5 stone announces the arrival in San Xulián do Miño, where we can visit an example of traditional laundries.
San Xulián do Camiño (Km. 3,4)
Practical tips for this section: Do not forget to discover the sad legend of love at Pambre Castle. Buen Camino!
Following an asphalted track we arrive at Pallota. From there, we begin a pronounced descent to the River Pambre, where we will find the castle of Pambre. Then we go through Ponte Campaña, a village in the parish of Mato.
The next section is spectacular. Surrounded by thick vegetation, rocks and twisted branches, we move to another of the villages of Mato, Casanova.
We leave aside the detour leading to the hostel of A Bolboreta and continue along an asphalted track. On the left-hand side, we take it to the rego do Vilar, in Porto de Bois (km. 7.2). We cross the river and ascended to Campanilla, another village of the parish of Mato and the last village in Lugo (km. 8).
On a secondary road, we enter O Coto, the first village of A Coruña. We are located in the parish of Leboreiro and in the council of Melide.
O Coto (Km. 8,5)
Practical tips for this section: both Leboreiro and Furelos have various points of interest. Don’t forget to visit them, there is a long day ahead. Buen Camino!
We leave O Coto and at the exit of the village, we take a path that begins on the left of the asphalt. Along it, we arrive in Leboreiro, where we can see a structure similar to the granaries, used to store corn. Behind it, we will find the Church of Santa Maria and next to it, La Casa de la Enfermeria.
After the visits, we leave Leboreiro and, by a medieval bridge, we cross Rio Seco (km. 9.5). The 56km stone leads us to Disicabo. Then comes a tedious stretch of one kilometre, next to the road N-547 (km. 11).
With the descent that leads us to the River Furelos, the environment changes. We cross the river on a medieval bridge, known as Puente Viejo, and enter the Parish of San Xoán de Furelos (km. 13), where the Church of San Xoán awaits us.
In this village, we can take the Rúa San Pedro or the Rúa do Convento to continue on the Camino Frances. On both streets, the itinerary is signposted towards Melide.
Melide (Km. 14,8)
Practical tips for this section: You are in the middle of today’s stage, and the adventure is almost over, enjoy Melide and visit its town centre. If your rhythm is very slow and you do not want to miss the wonders offered by this stage, one option is to divide this stage in two and spend the night in this locality. Buen Camino!
In Melide we expect traditional octopus restaurants and various places of interest. If you follow our advice and enjoy, without haste, the Camino de Santiago, leaving the town will take you a while.
In its streets you can visit the old pilgrims’ hospital, now the Museo da Terra de Melide, the Convent of Sancti Spiritus and its church, the Chapel of San Antonio and the 18th-century Town Hall.
It is also necessary to stop and visit the fountain of Cuatro Caños. You can also visit the Chapel of San Roque, next to the stone cross that bears the same name. If you have time, you can also visit the Carmen Chapel and the Casa de la Cultura.
The path is retaken next to the Chapel of San Antonio, by the street that has the same name. We go around the public hostel and leave Melide by the main street. With the landscape of the valley as scenery, we go down to the N-547, we cross and we take the road the straight ahead on the CP-4603 towards San Martiño. When we arrive at the grill restaurant, turn right to visit the Church of Santa Maria de Melide (km. 15.6).
Following the path, and after passing the houses of A Carballal, the environment envelops us with the fragrance of the eucalyptus. We advance through meadows to the cobbled passage of the River Catasol (km. 17.2) and let ourselves be seduced by the beauty of the landscape, almost like a postcard.
Surrounded by this bucolic environment we head to Raido, located at the foot of the road N-547. We quickly continue to Parabispo, now in the municipality of Arzúa (km. 18.7). Then we cross Arroyo de Valverde, pass through Peroxa and enter Boente.
Boente (Km. 20,5)
Practical tips for this section: Do not forget to get close to the Fonte A Saleta de Boente. Buen Camino!
Boente is divided into two by the national road that crosses it. After visiting the Fonte A Saleta and the Church of Santiago, from the same temple we turn to the right and descend by a relay to the River Boente. Then we head to Punta Brea, crossing the N-547 through a tunnel.
We go around some meadows; we face a hard climb to the foot of the N-547. Advancing parallel to this, we reach the parishes of Figueiroa and Castañeda (km. 22.7).
After this last hamlet, we descend by an asphalted track until the Arroyo de Ribeira, located between Pedrido and Río (km. 23.3). We ascend again and leave aside the detour to Doroña, continuing straight ahead.
Then by neighbourhood paths, we return to descend for two kilometres to the Iso River, which gives access to the village of Ribadiso da Baixo, in the Parish of Rendal (km. 25.8). After crossing the medieval bridge, we arrive at the Pilgrims’ hospital of San Antón, now transformed into a public hostel. Taking a detour, we go up to the N-547 and we enter the Avenida de Lugo, until getting to Arzúa.
Arzúa (Km. 28,5). End of stage
Practical tips for this section: the town of Arzúa is surrounded by legends and miracles, discover them! We’ll tell you some, but I’m sure talking to the locals will explain many more. See you tomorrow!
The end of today’s stage is a magical place, full of legends and miracles. In addition, it is the point at which the Camino Primitivo converges with the Camino Frances, so it is common for pilgrims to gather together and comment on the experiences of one or the other Jacobean path.
If you visit the town during the 24th of June and you are a woman, you can be one of the lucky ones who is selected to put her name on El Muro de las Estrellas. If it is not June 24th, don’t worry because the place has many places to visit, such as places with healing power as the Chapel of A Mota or Fonte Santa.
You can also visit the Parish Church of Santiago and the Chapel of the Magdalena. As well as various places destined to study and promote two of the most important products in the area: cheese and honey. If you are interested in their production, you can visit the Living Museum of Honey or the Cheese and Honey Promotion Centre.
Comments stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Today’s stage has a reputation as a leg-breaker, but to get over the effort it also has an exquisite cuisine. Now we’ll talk about it.
Precautions stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Some sections of today’s stage are hard because they have numerous ups and downs, with little-conserved slopes. This will make it possible for people with reduced mobility to study the possibility of following the route of the LU-664 road, however, this option contains a certain risk, since it is a road lacking in hard shoulders.
For cyclists the difficulty of today’s day is moderate. They should be extremely cautious on descents and have the right bicycle.
People who do not enjoy the proper physical preparation or prefer to enjoy calmly the wonders that this stage hides, can divide the route into two stages. One of Palas from Rei to Melide and another from Melide to Arzúa, both with a distance of approximately 15 kilometres.
If from Sarria, the pilgrim who had been travelling on the trail for days, felt an increase in the influx of pilgrims, they will now experience a similar sensation. In Melide the Camino Frances and the Camino Primitivo converge, which translates into a greater concentration of people. They are all headed for the same destination, the Tomb of the Holy Apostle.
Due to the above, both in Melide and in Arzúa the accommodations are quickly filled. If you do not want to worry about these details, remember that, if you wish, we can manage the logistical aspects of your route.
Gastronomy stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
On today’s route octopus, cheese and honey will be the protagonists. Now we will talk about each of them.
- Melide’s Octopus A Feira is a classic of this stage. A dish made with boiled octopus and seasoned with olive oil, paprika and salt. Some establishments such as the Pulpería de Ezequiel or Garnacha are classic stops to taste this dish.
- Traditional pastries such as sponge fingers, syrup-glazed doughnuts, or sweets known as “Rico” butter baked biscuits.
- Arzúa-Ullua cheeses
- Arzúa honey.
Services stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Consult the main health care services, cafes, ATMs, restaurants and are in this stage of the French Way.
Map stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Consult the map with the route, points and towns along the stage.
Profile stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Consult the profile of the stage: altitude and degree of difficulty of each section.
What to do stage Palas de Rei – Arzúa
Porto de Bois
Porto de Bois is a hamlet in the parish of Mato, still in the province of Lugo. The place is known for being the stage where the bloody battle took place between Enrique de Transtamara and Fernán Ruiz de Castro, Earl of Lemos and faithful defender of the rightful monarch Don Pedro I (The Cruel One).
The battle ended with the defeat of the count and Enrique de Transtamara’s troops were victorious.
Leboreiro
Leboreiro is a parish in the municipality of Melide. The first parish in A Coruña that the pilgrim steps on his journey along the Camino Frances towards Santiago de Compostela. The centre has 49 inhabitants. In the Codex Calistinus, it appears under the name of Campus Leporarius, possibly due to a large number of hares that are in the area.
On its main street, flanked by sturdy stone houses, you can see a cross. You can also visit the Church of Santa Maria and the façade of the nursing home, located in front of it.
The nursing home was an old pilgrims’ lodging, founded in the 12th century by the Ulloa family. Sculpted, on the façade, you can see the arms of the family’s shield. Currently, the building is a private house.
In front of La Casa de la Enferneria, you can see a traditional Cabazo. These structures function as a barn and are characterized by the shape of a huge basket. Its function is similar to that of the old granaries, in which the corn was stored. Of its original structure, only the walls and various shields of the Ulloa family are preserved.
Another element of historical and architectonic value present in this population is the bridge that crosses the River Seco, built in the 14th century and restored in 1984, when the parapet was incorporated.
Church of Santa María
The Church of Santa Maria is located in the parish of Leboreiro. It is a Gothic-style temple, although it is also possible to observe conceptions and decorative motifs typical of Romanesque style.
Its structure consists of a rectangular nave and a circular apse. It draws attention to its main façade, endowed with a bow and archivolts. In the tympanum, you can see the image of the Virgin, sculpted in high relief facets. The image depicts the Virgin with the child, standing on her left leg.
Flanking the figure of the Virgin and the Child, there are bas-reliefs of angels that carry amulets and braziers. Inside the church, you can also visit a collection of sculptures of various styles and eras. The highlight is the sculpture of the Virgin, from the Middle Ages, and paintings of the 16th century.
Practical information:
Mass times: Closes on Sundays. From 1 June to 30 September, from Monday to Saturday (from 11:30 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00).
Mass schedule: From October to June, Sundays and Public Holidays (12:30).
Furelos
Furelos is a village of 150 inhabitants, belonging to the municipality of Melide, and preserves a large part of its medieval structure. During the Middle Ages, it was a delegation of Portomarín under the power of the Order of Jerusalem, dedicated to the assistance of pilgrims.
The difficulty that, at that time, involved crossing this area, justified the presence of a pilgrims’ hospital in this locality. This was managed by the monks and was located next to the bridge that crosses the River Furelos. The Church of San Xoán is located next to the old Pilgrims’ hospital.
The medieval bridge that crosses the river is known as Ponte Vella (Old Bridge). It is one of the architectural jewels of the Camino de Santiago, one of the most beautiful on the Camino Frances in its passage through Galicia.
The Romanesque-style construction consists of four uneven arches and a half-point structure. The bridge was partially rehabilitated in the 18th century. On part of the route that leads to the bridge, there are some sections of the old Roman road.
Where the river ends, a small dam is erected, allowing its flow to overflow during rainy times. This space has been updated as a recreational area, with a great influx of locals.
In this natural area are located wooden benches for lunch, barbeques, slides for the smallest and two swimming pools: one for adults and the other for children. This area also has an interesting hiking route.
Church of San Xoán
The Church of San Xoán is located in the hamlet of Furelos, next to an old pilgrims’ hospital. The temple is Romanesque in style and dates back to the 13th century, although it was refurbished in the 19th.
Of its original structure, only the south wall is conserved. On the interior sides of the temple, two altarpieces draw our attention. On the left, Santa Lucia, and on the right, Santo Cristo. Presiding over the temple is a neoclassical altarpiece with rococo ornamentation dating from the late 18th century.
Practical information:
Opening hours: open every day. From May to September (from 9:00 to 15:00).
Mass times: From October to May, every 15 days at 10:00.
Ribadiso da Baixo
This tiny hamlet, in the municipality of Arzúa, counts on only 9 inhabitants. The place is characterized by its traditional houses, made with slate. On the banks of the river that runs next to its centre, the Iso River, is located the Hospital of San Antón de Ponte Ribadiso, which nowadays functions as a hostel.
The construction bill dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1993 it was rehabilitated to return to function as a reception centre. In its origins, it was managed by the Guild of Silversmiths of San Eloi. It currently belongs to the Xunta de Galicia.
The bridge next to the hospital is of late Gothic style. Its construction dates from the 12th century and is the oldest in the municipality of Arzúa. This civil work was carried out in a base of dry stones and presents a half point arch elaborated in quarry stone.
Originally, the causeway was made of slate stones. Today, as the result of the reconstruction that the bridge experienced, the road is covered with granite.
In the surroundings of the bridge, you can enjoy the river beach of Ribadiso, a recreational area that has several areas of rest and leisure.
Boente
Boente is a parish of 148 inhabitants, belonging to the Town Hall of Arzúa. At the entrance to the locality is located the fountain of A Saleta, in a small square. The source, although lacking in great architectural interest, has a great spiritual tradition and is attributed to healing powers.
In its streets, you can also visit the parish church with the dedication of Santiago the Apostle and the Stone Cross of Santiago, formed by a pedestal on which stands the rod that serves as support to the inverted pyramidal capital, topped with a flowered latin cross.
Church of Santiago
The Church of Santiago is located in Boente, on the edge of the road of Lugo to Santiago and passing the Fonte da Saleta. It is a small temple, whose construction dates back to the 12th century. Although of the original structure only a window and two capitals of Romanesque style are still conserved.
The temple that we observe today is due to a reconstruction of the 19th century. The building consists of a single rectangular-floored nave. It has no transept, and no cross. The sacristy is attached to the chancel. The cover is topped with a belfry with a couple of vanes.
Its interior is presided over by the image of Santiago Peregrino. In one of the halls of the church are placed prints of the saint with a sentence, exhibited in different languages. The roof of the temple is wooden.
Practical information:
Mass times: Sundays. From June to September (12:15) and from October to May (13:00).
Castle of Pambre
The castle of Pambre located next to the river that bears the same name is one of the best examples of military architecture of the Middle Ages of the entire Galician community. The castle stands out as a milestone in the Irmandiña battles against the nobility of the time.
The construction was carried out by Gonzalo Ozores de Ulloa, in 1375. A century later, in 1484, the castle passed into the hands of the Counts of Monterrei. In 2009, at the request of Manuel Taboada, the castle became the property of the Missionary Brothers of the Sick and Poor. Two years later, negotiations began for the property to become the property of the Xunta de Galicia.
The building has a square floor. Its walls are made of granite ashlars and the wall has an irregular structure. The main building consists of a tower, with a square structure and is eleven metres wide, divided into three floors.
Guarding the main tower are four smaller towers, which communicate with each other by the wall. The first is enclosed, the second is five metres high and in the third, you can see a huge window with pointed arches.
The castle has its own legend, according to which the castle was inhabited by a powerful lord who had two daughters. At this time, it was common for the castle to shelter the pilgrims who passed by. One day a dying pilgrim came to its door that the father decided to host.
The two daughters of the Lord fell madly in love with him. When the pilgrim recovered he was attracted to one of the maidens. They married and moved to France, as he was a French nobleman.
The other daughter was left in the castle, desolate and hoping to find love in another pilgrim. Years later, the young woman died with her gaze on the Camino de Santiago.
Practical information:
Timetable: Closes on Mondays. From Tuesday to Sunday (from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 14:00 to 20:00).
Melide
Melide is the capital of the council that bears the same name. It is made up of twenty-six parishes and is located in the geographical centre of Galician lands. The locality is of Roman origin and was repopulated by the order of the Archbishop Gelmírez. At present, the town has 4,700 inhabitants.
In this locality, the pilgrims of the Camino Frances converge with those of the Camino Primitivo. On the Camino Primitivo stands the Monastery of Sancti Spiritus, which operated as a hospital and currently hosts the Museum da Terra.
One of the most popular symbols of Melide is the fountain of Four Spouts, decorated with lion heads. Each one is topped in a large cylindrical glass, from which water emanates. In the town, you can also visit the Chapel of San Roque, next to the stone Cross of San Roque.
The Carmen Chapel is located in the place where, in the 14th century, a wall and a castle were erected that protected the town and the pilgrims that passed through it. There are no remains of this fortification since it was destroyed by the Irmandiñas riots.
Other expressions of religious architecture are the Church of Santa María and that of Sancti Spiritus. You can also visit the Town Hall building and La Casa de la Cultura.
The town also stands out for its exquisite cuisine, in which the octopus A Feira is the king of dishes. However, it also has a variety of traditional pastries.
Chapel of San Roque
The Chapel of San Roque is located in Melide at the foot of the Camino Frances and in an environment known as Campo de San Roque, hence the name of the chapel. Its construction took place in the 20th century, using elements from the ancient medieval churches of San Pedro and San Roque.
The Church of San Pedro dates from the 14th century. The main façade, considered one of the most beautiful in Galicia, stands out from the temple. In it, you can see elements of Gothic aesthetics.
The church is home to a 19th-century altarpiece, which houses the image of San Roque.
Practical information:
Opening hours: From the 12th to the 20th of August the temple opens all day long.
Mass time: Sundays at 11:00.
Crucero de San Roque
Next to the chapel of San Roque de Melide, the San Roque cross stands. Its construction dates back to the 14th century and is considered one of the oldest in Galicia.
The cross is quadrangular shaped and is decorated with a Fleur de Lys in the centre. On its face, there is a crowned and seated Christ, with sores on his hands and fists on his legs. The Calvary is represented on the reverse.
Church of the Sancti Spiritus
The Church of the Sancti Spiritus de Melide was part of the convent, founded in the 14th century by the Franciscan Order. At present, the convent ensemble is only preserved part of the old church.
The temple has undergone various enlargements and renovations since the 18th century. At the present time only the side chapel, dating from the 14th century, and the main chapel, from the 15th century is conserved.
The area is divided into a space with a Latin cross floor. Inside, it shelters several sepulchres, baroque altarpieces and paintings. It also highlights the 17th-century ivory carving depicting the Infant Jesus.
Practical information:
Timetable: daily (from 9:00 to 19:30).
Museum da Terra
The Museum da Terra de Melide has its headquarters in the old Monastery of Sancti Spiritus, which in ancient times functioned as a pilgrims’ hospital. The place, as it is on the institutional page, is a space built by the people and for the people.
The construction of the building dates back to 1375 and was carried out at the request of Fernán López and Aldara González, in order to give shelter to the pilgrims who were heading to Santiago de Compostela. At the beginning of the 16th century, the building underwent a profound renovation, as seen in the engraving on its façade.
The renovation was financed by the Count of Monterrey, which is why the façade shows the coat of arms of the count. After this renovation, the building hosted the Town Hall.
The building has a rectangular floor, divided into three sections. On them stands a large barrel vault, resting on the transverse arches. Today, the building houses the Museum da Terra, created in 1978, through the initiative of a group of friends who loved the culture and heritage of the municipality. The museum is dedicated to the study, knowledge and dissemination of the cultural legacy of Melide.
Practical information:
Timetable: Closes on public holidays. From Monday to Saturday (from 11:30 to 19:00) and Sundays (from 11:00 to 14:00).
Chapel of Carmen
The Chapel of Carmen is located on top of the Pre-Roman Castro in Melide. Next to the place where, in the Middle Ages, the castle was raised. The chapel was built in 1741.
The temple has a rectangular floor and has a triumphal half point arch. In its interior, the altarpiece, from 1755, stands out where there appears a beautiful representation of the Virgen del Carmen, located in the central alcove. The carving dates from the 18th century and is surrounded by the statues of San Xosé and San Ramón Nonate, both from the same period as the image of the Virgin.
Practical information:
Mass schedule: In winter and only on holidays at 17:30.
Casa de la Cultura
La Casa de la Cultura in Melide was inaugurated in 2014. It is located in a modern building that has a large auditorium and a spacious stage, which houses both theatre and the Symphony Orchestra of the municipality.
On the left side of the building, you can visit a large exhibition of works of painting, sculpture and photography, among others.
Church of Santa María
The Church of Santa Maria de Melide dates back to the second half of the 12th century. The building is in Romanesque style and was listed as a national monument.
Its structure consists of a single nave, covered with double layered wood. In its chancel, a semi-circular apse finishes the construction. The nave and the chancel are divided by a huge triumphal arch.
At the foot of the nave opens the main façade, formed by two archivolts ornamented with friezes and supported by columns. The capitals of the columns, except on the left, are ornamented with vegetal motifs. In the capital on the left, there are two beasts facing each other.
On the side of the nave opens a second cover. It is ornamented with three archivolts and rectangles dotted with geometric figures, bezants, etc.
Inside are some of the most valuable elements of the temple. On the one hand, the altar, which preserves the original blind arches. These have bezants and reliefs of human heads, as a decoration.
On the other, the temple houses the only Romanesque gate that is recorded in the Galician region. The function of this is to separate the chancel from the nave in the area used by the parishioners.
Practical information:
Mass time: Sundays at 11:00.
Concello Building
This building is, from 1960, the headquarters of the Melide Town Hall. In its origins it was made up of two floors. A ground floor in which the blocks, warehouses and other storage units were located, and an upper floor, where the halls and houses were located.
At present only the façade is preserved since the interior was demolished. On one side, a chapel with a rectangular floor is formed by a single nave and covered with a vaulted ceiling. The façade of the chapel is Baroque in style and consists of several pilasters, flat-structure capitals and a lintel that supports a split pediment.
Arzúa
Arzúa is a locality of 2,600 inhabitants in the province of A Coruña. The villa appears on two occasions in the Codex Calixtinus, in one as part of the itinerary of the Camino Frances, and in another as a place where one of the most exemplary medieval miracles occurs, when punishing disrespectful conduct.
According to legend, a needy pilgrim asked for alms from a woman who had bread on the grill. She replied that she had no bread and no food to offer. The pilgrim, who had noticed that the lady was making bread, told her that he wished the bread she had would turn to stone.
When the pilgrim left the woman’s house, and when he was already far away, the woman came up to the embers to collect her bread. Instead of bread, he found a round stone. The woman, repentant at heart for her evil work, went out to seek out the pilgrim to offer her help. She never found him.
The Fonte Santa is a place that concentrates many legends and histories of cures, as well as the Chapel of A Mota.
The strong connection of this villa with the Camino de Santiago, is not only appreciated in the existence of legends like these, but also in celebrations such as the one that takes place on June 24th.
On that night, the locals randomly choose a female pilgrim among the arrivals on that day to the village. With their name and provenance, they make a star-shaped plate. At night, at a very popular party to which both locals and pilgrims flock, the chosen pilgrim places the inscription on the wall of the stars, located in one of the town’s parks.
In the town centre, you can also visit the Parish church of Santiago and the Chapel of the Magdalena. Arzúa has several places destined to study and promote two of the most important products of the region: cheese and honey. In this way, you can visit the Living Museum of Honey or the Information Centre for Cheese and Honey.
Other places of historical and cultural interest are the Ethnographic Museum of Painza and the Pazo de Bradeso, although the latter is not possible to visit.
Museo Viviente do Mel
The Living Museum of Honey is located in Arzúa, surrounded by nature: botanical Gardens, a bird cage, an anthill and a pond with a bridge. On the outside, there are two apiaries, one modern and the other old.
Inside, you can visit a photographic gallery about the life and activity of the bee. You can also visit the various rooms that bring together the phases of processing honey: extraction, decantation and packaging. It also has a product and cosmetics shop.
Practical information:
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 981 508 072
Opening hours: Open every day. In summer (from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00). The rest of the year it closes an hour before both in the morning and in the afternoon.
Entrance price: General (€2), with a technical explanation (€10), group workshops (€3).
Ethnographic Museum A Painza
The Ethnographic Museum in Painza, Arzúa, is based on a rural tourism set built in the 19th century. It is located three kilometres from the Camino Frances.
The museum is composed of eight old houses, built during the 18th century, representing a typical Galician village. In addition to the eight houses, you can visit a church, a cross, a pub and a passage.
Throughout the visit you can discover the ancient tools that they used, in the past, to cultivate and harvest the fruits. You can also see a Brougham carriage, from the mid-19th century.
Practical information:
Phone: 981 500 343
E-mail: [email protected]
Admission: Free.
A Fonte San
The Holy Fountain of Arzúa is bathed by the waters of the river itself. It has a chapel and a mill. Everything is located in an environment where both pagan and Christian rituals were practiced. Various legends of miracles and cures are hovering over the place throughout history.
Legend has it that one day someone wanted to do business with the source imposing a payment for the use of their curative water. According to some, the water from the fountain stopped spouting.
Centro de Divulgación del Queso y de la Miel
The Arzúa Cheese and Honey Information Centre is run by the Erica Mel Cooperative, and the Galician Beekeeping Association is also located here. The objective of the centre is to show the value of the two most important products of the zone: honey and cheese.
Practical information:
Phone: 981 508 142
E-mail: [email protected]
Timetable: Closes Saturdays and Sundays. From Monday to Friday (from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00).
Admission: Free. Guided group Views (€2).
Chapel of A Mota
The chapel of A Mota in Arzúa is made of local stone. The temple is supported by round columns, of which stands out the presence of the figure of three saints: San Simón, San Mateo and San Bartolomé.
The latter is the best known. Every year the saint is visited by many people so that with the wooden knife that he holds, they cut out diseases. It is also considered sacred for new mothers, as well as for the protection of flocks and storms.
Chapel of la Magdalena
The Magdalena Chapel is located in Arzúa. The chapel is part of an ancient convent ensemble of Augustinian monks. The construction of both the chapel and the convent dates back to the middle of the 14th century. However, three centuries later, the Augustinians left the town to move to Santiago de Compostela.
Nothing is preserved from the convent, but the Chapel of the Magdalena still stands. This functioned as a pilgrims’ hospital in the 15th century. The construction was made in masonry and is raised on a longitudinal floor.
On the exterior, its façade is highlighted, with a cover formed by a half point flared arch. On this, there is a square vane. The façade is topped with a single-body belfry.
Inside, the nave and the presbytery are separated by a pointed arch. Two sculptures are located on the sides. Of the original altarpiece that welcomed the temple, only the platform is preserved.
The original work was made in stone and dates back to the 16th century.
Church of Santiago
The Parish Church of Santiago is located in the town of Arzúa, in the middle of the Camino Frances, next to the main square. The temple was built in the middle of the 20th century, above a previous church.
Its façade is made entirely of ashlar and has three large circular windows that illuminate the interior of the church. The building is topped with a belfry, where the bell tower is housed, the only element that is preserved from the original temple.
In the building, besides the spaces of worship, other dependencies are located like a library, rooms in which, until a few years ago, the pilgrims could spend the night and halls destined for pastoral activities.
Pazo de Brandeso
The Pazo de Brandeso is a building of great nobility, formed by a U-shaped floor. The construction was made in masonry and has a chapel. The complex has a large garden where a wide variety of fruit trees grow. The construction is now privately owned and therefore cannot be visited.
